Indian Food is very common in NYC so it’s nice to see a restaurant that tries to set it’s self apart from the masses. If anyone has ever travelled to India one thing they will notice is how good the street food is. There are so many flavors and spices fused together to create dishes that are tasty and very inexpensive.
Chef Manuel Butler created a menu that comprises of classic Indian cuisine mixed with street food from all over India with many options offered in the form of Tapas, meant to be shared so guests can try a greater variety of dishes.
We started our meal with a selection of tapas the chef prepared. The crispy okra topped with fennel and herbs was crunchy and flavorful. The tandoori wings were moist and not too spicy but yet had a nice texture and flavor.
For the main courses we opted for a couple the seafood dishes with the lamb chops thrown in the mix. The ginger salmon was flaky sauted with ginger and garlic in a turmeric sauce. Not having eaten salmon very often at an Indian restaurant we were pleasantly surprised by the dish. The coconut shrimp was a favorite prepared with coconut milk, turmeric, spices and garam masala. The lamb chops were tender and cooked just right.
We paired the dishes with two sides of lemon and coconut rice along with delicious garlic naan, so good we ordered a second round.
My cocktail choice for the evening was the Mumbai Mule, me being a rum drinker was a no brainer. Dark rum, pomegranate juice, ginger mint and beer. It’s not to sweet and pretty strong, perfect for a saturday night. A very nice wine menu is available with a master wine expert curating the list to highlight the various flavors of the dishes when paired together.
Imli Restaurant 1136 First Avenue New York, NY 10065 (212) 256-0073 contact@imlirestaurant.com website: ImliRestaurant.com
FashionsWeek: Beauty, Fashion, Travel, Tech & Dining By Maya Litovsky 